End o' Week Musings

This week went fast, but that might be because I'm excited about the weekend... But I digress...

Sunday I performed with Ad Hoc Consort at the Phillips Mansion in Pomona as part of a benefit for the Pomona Historical Society. The organization is working to refurbish the residence which was built in 1875, plus some other structures that share the property.

We played our music sitting under the trees, as a cool breeze eased away the day's heat. Our "payment" was a tour of the mansion- which was quite interesting - and a bowl of ice cream. I danced a little bit with one sword and it felt good to be moving!

On Wednesday, Daryl, my friend who runs the children's band program House of Rock at the Fret House, called me late in the day inviting me to go see Roy Z & Friends at the House of Blues in Hollyweird. The show was late, so at first I declined and then I thought, when will I have this opportunity again? I called Daryl back and we were ready for a night of fun.

My neighbors (if they noticed me) must have thought I was nuts leaving the house at 10 p.m. in my rockin' attire, but then again, it's not that unusual for me... Still we went to the show and I was thrilled with my decision, as it was terrific. Roy had different musicians sit in with him on various songs, mostly rock-oriented with a Latin beat, including Chas, the lead singer from Tribe of Gypsies. I love TOG and use their music for some of my dancing, so it was more than awesome to hear some of the songs live!!

The bulk of my week was filled with interviews- the Sin Twins, Louis Prima Jr., Incendio, California Sun and more.

If you've perused the post below this, you will know what I'm off to do this weekend. I'll be at AM2, an anime, manga and music convention at theAnaheim Convention Center tomorrow through Sunday. Admission is free, but there are fees for some activities. There are also passports available that feature preferred seating at concerts and screenings, discounts on food and fun and more.

If you want to catch me, I'll be hanging out with the Rum Party Pirates tomorrow beginning at 3:30 p.m. They're going to have a belly dance contest in the evening and I'll be there to do a demo and to help the contestants. My big show is 12:15 p.m. Sunday on the stage in the middle of the summer festival. My musicians friends and I have a 30 minute set and I'll be bringing out the swords and more, plus I plan to do my Chinese sleeve dance. To find me, look in the schedule for Nocturra & Friends. For more info, visit http://www.am2con.org/

In rotation this week: Peppino D'Augustino and a special CD created by Bob Davis (music and train expert and Old Curiosity Shop columnist at http://www.dabelly.com/ ), it has a diverse selection of music, as well as a few Evie Sands' tunes and I'm really enjoying it- great driving songs!

Photos we got 'em: Just a few cute pet pics from the Web.

Thought o' the Week: Safe, but fun. Having a good time doesn't always have to include something daring. Perhaps I'm not the best person to advocate this, afterall I have swum with sharks, rode motorcycles and piloted planes, but... With the 4th of July on the way, I can't help but think of all the tragedies that happen this time of year that could have been avoided.

I'll remind you to keep an eye on any kids around your barbecue and when you bring out the sparklers. Also, keep the matches or lighter safe from little ones. The same goes for any of your friends who have had too much to drink, it's not funny when they hurt themselves because they don't know what they're doing. Oh, and take away their car keys too, we don't need that out on the road.

On a lighter note, even if your 4th plans don't include a barbecue and fireworks, get outside for a little while- go for a walk or just sit under a tree and sip some lemonade. Quiet fun is good too.

And of course, don't forget the reason for the celebration~ America and all the good things our country stands for, starting with freedom and going all the way to , well, that glass of lemonade. Kinda makes you feel melty inside, doesn't it? Happy Fourth of July! Be safe, have fun and

Keep on rockin'

Mickie

AM2, anime, manga and music, convention in Anaheim July 1-3

I'll be here, dancing with swords and other surprises - 4 p.m. Friday with the Rum Party Pirates and 12:15 p.m. Sunday on the Summer Festival stage with my musician friends. ~M


AM2, ANIME, MANGA AND MUSIC CONVENTION
Friday-Sunday, July 1-3.
Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim
Free admission, fees for some activities. Passport $25-$50
www.am2con.org

Whether you’re a fan of anime and manga or just curious about the artforms, you can get your fill at AM2 in Anaheim July 1-3. Admission to the convention is free and there are activities around the clock during its three-day run.

In addition to a main exhibit hall, AM2 will include gaming tournaments, an arcade, summer festival, cosplay contests and events, workshops, panels, artist appearances, concerts, film screenings, fashion shows, a steam punk masked ball and more.

There will be performances by Japanese musicians, such as KanonxKanon, heidi, Scandal, Sadie, Sixh and Gasicon. The film lineup boasts offerings like “Arakawa Under the Bridge,” “Katanagatari,” “Ponyo,” “Robotech: The Macross Saga,” “Street Fighter: Alpha” and “Tokyo Zombie.”

The exhibit hall will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. The summer festival will be 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. For more information and a complete daily schedule, visit www.am2con.org.

California Dreamin' concert in La Mirada July 10

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & UPRIGHT CABARET are thrilled to announce the performers for its fifth and final show of their second season, CALIFORNIA DREAMIN', starring vocal powerhouse JAKE SIMPSON (2x "Star Search" Grand Champion, Oprah Winfrey Favorite), Broadway sensation JENNIFER LEIGH WARREN (Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Marie Christine, Big River, Regional: Having It All, The Buddy Holly Story, Diamonds Are Forvever, Cinderella - a Modern Musical Extravaganza), JULIE GARNYÉ, NATHAN SHRAKE and BROOKE TANSLEY, performing the music of The Mamas and The Papas, Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles. Expect to hear favorites like "Monday, Monday," "California Dreamin'," "Blue Bayou," "Don't Know Much," "Take It Easy," "Hotel California," - as well as their own selections, under the musical direction of Todd Schroeder in a one night only concert – CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ which will perform on Sunday, July 10, 2011 at 7:30PM at the NEW Cabaret Lounge at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ • July 10, 2011 • 8:00PM
Music of The Mamas & The Papas, Linda Ronstadt and Eagles

Ticket prices for UPRIGHT CABARET Single Shows $45 (VIP)/ $35 / $25 / $15.

Tickets to these extraordinary shows are now available by calling the Box Office at 562-944-9801 or 714-994-6310 or online at www.lamiradatheatre.com.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, Parking is free.

LaVida Music Festival at the Ford Sept. 17

The Third Annual LAVida Music Festival
September 17, 2011
John Anson Ford Amphitheatre
on sale now!

The Louie Cruz Beltran Latin Jazz Orchestra

Louie is proud to share the stage at
The Third Annual LAVida Music Festival with
multi platinum selling recording artist
Al B. Sure!

Grammy Award Winning Mariachi Divas
Fuego Flamenco
Chalo Eduardo and the Brazilian Beat

Elliott Caine at Descanso Gardens tonight

Thursday, June 30th

Music On the Main
Descanso Gardens

Elliott Caine


Elliott Caine has been involved, through performance and/or recording with artists such as, Teddy Edwards, Ernie Andrews, Larance Marable, Barbara Morrison, Tierra, Bobby Matos, Jump with Joey, The Solsonics, Sonora Dinamita, Beck, The Beastie Boys, Filter, Wycliff Jean, The Machito Orchestra, Roland Alphonso, etc; as a leader, with concerts such as, The Playboy Festival, Jazz at Drew Festival, Idyllwild Jazz Festival, Temecula International Jazz Festival, Equinoxe Jazz Festival (Corsica, Fr.), Atlas Music Festival (Istanbul, Turkey), LA County Museum of Art, El Camino College Concert Series, Occidental College Concert Series, Cal State LA Concert Series, and numerous other community and cultural events throughout southern California. Many of his compositions have been used for film and television.

Thursday Evenings
5:30 to 7:00
Free with admission to the Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive
La Canada 91011
818.949.4200

Bring a blanket, chair and picnic and enjoy world class music in this beautiful setting!

Gil Oyola releases album

I put together a "ReverbNation" page to help promote the record, please try and visit
http://www.reverbnation.com/giloyola

Body Language signs with Lavish Habits/OM Records

Body Language Sign To Lavish Habits / OM Records,
Social Studies (Deluxe Edition) EP Out October 4th

“Is this a dubstep record?”

Not quite, although Body Language’s Social Studies EP certainly starts off that way—with a thick, top-heavy baseline absolutely hammering your speakers. Ah, but then the synths kick in like laser canons, leading us all down a neon-lit wind tunnel that’s lined with lean loops, galloping grooves, and head-circling hooks. Which begs one simple question: what is this, really?

“The title sums it up perfectly,” explains Grant Wheeler, who sings and swaps instruments alongside his longtime production partner/lead vocalist Matt Young, glockenspiel guru Angelica Bess, and drummer Ian Young. “Depending on the day, we’re producing indie music, DJing house, disco and Detroit techno, or writing pop songs on the piano. So we wrapped our record up like a tidy textbook of genres, or different cultures in a social studies class.”

And like any decent textbook, Body Language have a lot of history behind them, starting with the weekly parties Matt and Grant used to throw at a dive bar in Connecticut. The residency led to their love of dance music and a need for homemade club edits of everything from Billy Ocean to Don Henley. Not only that; the pair also started to tackle their own tracks, with Angelica eventually rounding out their ever-evolving sound and Ian stepping into his rhythm section role on the eve of a Bowery Ballroom show with Passion Pit. That billing wasn’t an isolated incident, either. As it turns out, Body Language lent their programming skills to several tracks on Passion Pit’s breakthrough album. They’ve also worked with such wildly different artists as Theophilus London, Machinedrum, and Fur.

But enough about the magic Body Language have brought to other records. This fall’s Social Studies EP—a tidy collection of four limited 10’’ singles—is a fitting followup to their 2009 debut Speaks, applying a refined pop palette to sample-splitting melodies (the title track), dollops of disco (“Falling Out”), and what can only be described as pure analog bliss (“You Can”).


“I suppose it sounds selfish,” says Grant, “but we wrote what we wanted to write. We get the same joy and satisfaction out of losing our shit behind a pair of turntables as we do singing four-part harmonies.”


Which explains why Green Velvet and Grizzly Bear get equal time on the group’s hi-fi, and with a proper LP already in its planning stages, let’s just say they might actually sound exactly like Billy Ocean by the time it’s done. Who knows. We can only hope, right?



"Social Studies" Single Out July 12th
A1) Social Studies (Original)
A2) Rio Blanco Remix
B1) Plastic Plates Remix

Upcoming Tour Dates

7/1 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands w/ Celestial Shore , Aislyn
7/16 - Miami, FL - Electric Pickle
8/17 - San Francisco, CA - Hotel Vitale
8/20 - W Hollywood - High Tide (DJ Set)
8/20 - Pomona, CA - The Glass House

Volbeat to release deluxe album/DVD and tour

Universal Republic Records has announced a July 26 street date for the deluxe edition release of Volbeat’s Beyond Hell / Above Heaven. The title will feature the original album, with a new DVD titled Return To Tilburg. Songs captured from the performance on February 24, 2010 include “A Warrior’s Call,” “Mary Ann’s Place,” “Sad Man’s Tongue,” Hallelujah Goat,” “Angelfuck,” “Another Day, Another Way,” and the fan favorite “Still Counting.” The title alludes to a prior performance in Tilburg, Holland at the 013 venue on November 29, 2009 that was rescheduled following singer Michael Poulsen passing out on stage roughly thirty minutes in to Volbeat’s set from illness.

Volbeat will return to North America for a Summer tour that takes the band coast to coast, and in to Canada for multiple dates. Following a near sold-out run in March and April of this year, the Danish metal band continues to sell-out larger venues with each tour of North America. For all U.S. dates, Cold will be on the run as direct support. Singer Michael Poulsen shared, “Cold has been making music we've enjoyed for years. Volbeat is glad they were available to join us for this tour of the U.S.” Cold’s singer Scooter Ward echoed these sentiments offering, “Volbeat is a great band with great fans, and Cold is really looking forward to the upcoming tour".

The quartet’s recent release BEYOND HELL / ABOVE HEAVEN has now sold in excess of 300,000 copies worldwide. Overseas, the album debuted at number one on the sales charts in Denmark, Finland and Sweden, and Top 10 in a half dozen additional countries. For the first time in the U.S., Volbeat is currently riding a national hit at commercial radio. The song “Fallen” is now Top 10 on the Active Rock Chart, and 15 at Mainstream Rock. Volbeat is Michael Poulsen (Vocals / Guitar), Anders Kjølholm (Bass), Jon Larsen (Drums) and Thomas Bredahl (Guitar).

Jacksonville, FL rock powerhouse Cold is set to release their new album Superfiction on July 19 on Eleven Seven Music. Combining vivid, vibrant storytelling with elegantly heavy hard rock, on Superfiction Cold preserve the alluring darkness that made them a rock mainstay, while honing their approach into an intricate, introspective, and inspirational style. “Wicked World,” the first radio single from the upcoming album, is currently climbing up the Active Rock radio chart.

The tour will begin in Toronto, Ontario on July 24th at the Heavy T.O. Festival 2011, and conclude with a two-night stand on September 3 & 4 at the House of Blues Anaheim. Cold will be direct support on all U.S. dates, but not in Canada. The itinerary includes appearances in:

7/24 Toronto, Ontario Metal TO
7/25 Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom
7/26 Cincinnati, OH Bogarts
7/28 Ft. Wayne, IN Piere’s
7/29 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
7/30 Madison, WI WJJO Bandcamp
7/31 St. Louis, MO The Pagent
8/02 Austin, TX Emo’s
8/03 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
8/05 Miami, FL The Fillmore
8/06 Lake Buena Vista, FL House of Blues
8/07 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore
8/10 Washington D.C. 9:30 Club
8/11 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
8/12 Allentown, PA Crocodile Rock
8/13 Wallingford, CT The Dome at Oakdale
8/15 Flint, MI Machine Shop
8/16 Grand Rapids, MI Orbit Room
8/17 Chicago, IL House of Blues
8/19 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
8/20 Winnipeg, Manitoba Rock On The Range Canada
8/22 Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton Event Center
8/23 Calgary, Alberta McEwen Hall
8/25 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
8/26 Spokane, WA Rock Hard @ The Park
8/28 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
9/02 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
9/03 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
9/04 Anaheim, CA House of Blues

Additional performances will be announced shortly. For details check http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

http://www.volbeat.dk/
http://www.myspace.com/volbeat
www.facebook.com/volbeat
http://www.coldarmy.com/home/

Soul Control to release EP

Soul Control is excited to release their Get Out Now EP on July 12th, which features 4 songs (+1 digital bonus track) of their best material to date, and the band will be premiering some new tracks tomorrow when they hit Santo's Party House in NYC for a show with Strike Anywhere and Iron Chic. If you haven't seen SC's new video, you can do so at
http://vimeo.com/25518499
and listen to their new song at
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2011/06/soul_control_re.html.

Soul Control will embark on their European tour in late July.

Cross contra cripple crescent, SC lives demands the present. The boys secede again: throughout, above, and beyond it all. The thunder may be, simply, rock and roll, punk, thrash, drone, distortion. Less a cosmos, more a fist fight, the record battles with sense and judgment, other times without. Anthems with rigidity and a force towards resolution: music to bang your head to. Songs with low end and an encompassing trance: it's not how you drive, it's how you arrive. A 5 song EP announcing the present, cross contra cripple crescent!

Ceremony to release EP

Bay Area CA’s CEREMONY are excited to announce their forthcoming Covers EP which will be released August 9th via Bridge Nine Records. The 6-song EP features cover songs from Urban Waste, Pixies, Crisis, Eddie and the Subtitles, Vile and Wire, and were recorded with Dan Rathbun as outtakes during the Rohnert Park recording session. The Covers EP pays homage to a few of the artists that have influenced Ceremony along the way and will continue to inspire them. Ceremony’s Covers EP is available for pre-order now on vinyl, limited edition CD and cassette at www.B9store.com/Ceremony.



Ceremony has had quite a year; they released their landmark effort, Rohnert Park, in June of 2010 to incredible amounts of critical acclaim. FADER called the album “an incredible record”, Alternative Press said it was “adventurous”, and Lambgoat said it was “one of 2010’s most intriguing records”. In support of Rohnert Park, the band toured the US, UK, Europe and Japan, played countless Festivals (like FYF in Los Angeles, Chaos in Tejas in Austin, and many more), and will be hitting the Vans House Party in Brooklyn tonight. This coming July, Ceremony is scheduled for an appearance at Sound & Fury Festival, followed by a European Tour.



Ceremony was formed back in 2005 in Rohnert Park, CA and released the “modern hardcore masterpiece” (punknews.org), Violence Violence, in 2006 on Malfunction Records. That same year, Alternative Press coined Ceremony “one of the 22 bands who won’t stay underground for long” and shortly thereafter, the band became a part of the Bridge Nine Family. In 2007, they released the Scared People 7inch (which punknews hailed as the best EP of the year), followed by their full-length Still Nothing Moves You, which was a milestone release for the label. Fast forward to 2010 and Ceremony unleashed Rohnert Park, which is one of their career-defining releases and an absolutely extraordinary album.



Moving forward, Ceremony will be calling Matador Records their new home (the label is known for their work with bands like Sonic Youth, Pavement, Interpol, and many others). Bridge Nine owner Chris Wrenn said, “Today is a very bittersweet day, as Ceremony is moving on to Matador. We are sad to see them go, but so excited and proud of the band. Our relationship with Ceremony has been an incredible one over the years and we will continue to stay close with the band. B9 wishes Ceremony the absolute best, and are just as excited as everyone else to hear their next record.”



Pre-order a copy of Ceremony’s Covers EP now at www.B9Store.com/Ceremony.



COVERS EP TRACK LIST:

Urban Waste - Public Opinion
Pixies - Nimrod's Son
Crisis - Holocaust
Eddie and the Subtitles - American Society (L7 version)
Vile - 5 to 10
Wire - Pink Flag

H2O to tour with Rancid

H2O is very, very excited to announce a run of West Coast shows alongside their friends in RANCID this coming September! Check out the tour dates below - H2O will be hitting This Is Hardcore in August, then head overseas to the UK, then head back for Rancid dates in Vegas, Pomona, and San Fran, a NYC show with the Descendents, then a headlining slot at Within These Walls Fest in Mesa, AZ on September 24th. Whew!

Additionally, we'll have some exciting details to announce next week in regards to the band's forthcoming Don't Forget Your Roots release. H2O vocalist Toby Morse commented, “DFYR is extremely important to us. These are bands that inspired us to start a band and who have inspired our personal lives. Also with so many young kids getting into hardcore every day, it’s good to always keep exposing them to the ROOTS of this music and getting them into some of the originators of hardcore/punk. We have all gotten to see this bands play live when we were young so covering their songs that made us happy and inspired as kids feels amazing and we feel honored.” Stay tuned for more info VERY soon.

H2O - ON TOUR
Aug 12 @ Starlight Ballroom - Philadelphia, PA w/ Youth of Today, Token Entry, Title Fight, Mouthpiece (THIS IS HARDCORE FEST 2011)
Aug 14 @ Joiners - Southhampton, United Kingdom w/ Chief
Aug 15 @ Peel - Kingston (Upon Thames), United Kingdom w/ Chief
Aug 16 @ Trillians - Newcastle (Staffordshire), United Kingdom w/ Chief, Look Alive
Aug 17 @ Stereo - Glasgow, Scotland w/
Aug 18 @ Speakeasy - Belfast, Ireland w/
Aug 19 @ Fibber Magees - Dublin, Ireland w/ Find A Way, Frustration, 20 Bulls Each
Aug 20 @ The Globe - Cardiff, United Kingdom w/ Chief, More Than Life, Crossbreaker, Chains of Hare
Aug 21 @ Underworld - London (Camden Town), United Kingdom w/ Chief
Aug 22 @ SUB 91 - Leicester, United Kingdom w/ Chief, Crossbreaker
Aug 23 @ Manchester Moho Live - Manchester, United Kingdom w/ Chief
Aug 25 @ The Croft - Bristol, United Kingdom w/ Chief
Sep. 6 -Las Vegas, NV - House of Bluesw/ DJ J & Nicki Bonner (Jandisco Sound System), H20 and RANCID
Sep. 9- Pomona, CA - The Fox Theater w/ DJ J & Nicki Bonner (Jandisco Sound System), H20 and RANCID
Sep. 10 San Francisco, CA - The Warfield w/ DJ J & Nicki Bonner (Jandisco Sound System), H20 and RANCID
Sep 23 @ Roseland Ballroom - New York City, NY w/ Descendents, H2O, Suicide Machines
Sep 24 Within These Walls 2011- Nile Theater- Mesa, AZ

Weinstein Company to release Madonna's "W.E."

The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that it will release Madonna’s “W.E.” on December 9, 2011 in New York and Los Angeles. The film will expand to additional markets in December, with wide release anticipated by mid-January. Madonna’s narrative feature directorial debut, W.E. is co-written by Madonna and Alek Keshishian, produced by Madonna and Kris Thykier and executive produced by Scott Franklin (BLACK SWAN).

It stars Abbie Cornish (LIMITLESS), Andrea Riseborough (NEVER LET ME GO), James D’Arcy (MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD), Oscar Isaac (DRIVE), Natalie Dormer (“The Tudors”), Richard Coyle (PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME), James Fox (SHERLOCK HOLMES) and Laurence Fox (“Inspector Lewis”). The announcement was made by TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein and TWC President of Theatrical Distribution and Home Entertainment Erik Lomis.



“Madonna beautifully interweaves past and present in W.E. It’s a very smart film, and a stunning feature directorial debut,” said Weinstein. “I’m incredibly excited about this movie and I wanted to give it a prominent release date.”



Madonna is represented by CAA and managed by Untitled Entertainment.



SYNOPSIS

W.E. looks at the fabled romance between American Wallis Simpson and Britain’s King Edward VIII, who famously gave up the throne to marry the woman he loved. More than six decades later, their story enthralls a young woman named Wally Winthrop, who thinks she sees in their devotion a stark contrast to her own unhappy marriage – and an example to follow as she searches for the meaning of true love. The cast features Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough, James D’Arcy and Oscar Isaac.

Tasseomancy to release album

Catch the NPR premier of the video for "Heavy Sleep" off of Tasseomancy's upcoming album, Ulalume, out on August 30th from Out of This Spark!

Tasseomancy is a continuation of what was a bare bones neo-folk duo. Formerly known as Ghost Bees, Sari and Romy Lightman have found a heavier, more ambient sound, ripe with dreamy, dissonant vocals, influenced by eastern song, drone music, phonography, and myth.

The sisters return to their ancestral side with their second full-length, Ulalume, co-produced and accompanied by Taylor Kirk and Simon Trottier of Timber Timbre and influenced by the work as touring members of the electronic outfit, Austra.

Tasseomancy expands its scope to move beyond earlier acoustic arrangements, combining the rhythmic soundscapes of Popol Vuh and Comus with the dream-like state of Julee Cruise. The outcome is both terse and expansive, haunting and resonant in the manner of early soul music, with a smoke ribbon shape and full peal all its own.

Ulalume will be available on Out of This Spark on August 30th, 2011.

Boney James in San Dimas July 16

BONEY JAMES will be performing at Jazz Fest West in San Dimas, CA on Saturday, July 16th.

Boney James, who has four Gold albums, three Grammy® nominations, a Soul Train Award and an NAACP Award nomination to his credit, just released his most personal album to date, Contact, on March 29, 2011. His first album for Verve Records, Contact has been #1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums Chart for more than 9 weeks and boasts high-profile vocal guest appearances from Grammy®- and Tony®-Award winner Heather Headley; platinum-selling singer and former Destiny’s Child member LeToya Luckett; and R&B superstars Mario, and Donnell Jones. His first single “Contact” is already No. 1 most added on the BDS Smooth Jazz, Mediabase Smooth AC, and Smoothjazz.com charts. The first Urban AC single “When I Had The Chance,” featuring LeToya Luckett, is impacting radio now.

The musician’s legion of fans have scooped up over 3 million copies of his twelve albums (with eight of them going to No. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart). And though notable music critics consider him one of the most influential jazz artists of his generation and Billboard Magazine named him “The No. 3 Top Contemporary Jazz Artist of the Decade.”

Iwrestledabearonce's Steven Bradley launches clothing line

Steven Bradley, guitarist/songwriter for Iwrestledabearonce, debuted his Let’s Make Mistakes clothing line this week. Initial items for sale include logo t-shirts, tanks, stickers and koozies. The Let’s Make Mistakes line is available online at http://letsmakemistakes.merchnow.com/ , as well as this summer at the HK Army Tent on the Vans Warped Tour and on the All Stars Tour featuring Iwrestledabearonce.



10% of the revenue from Let’s Make Mistakes will be donated to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. Steven explains why he chose to work with this charity organization and aid in their efforts to restore instrumental music education programs: “I decided that if I was going to start up a clothing line, the money made from it should definitely help a cause that I'm passionate about. I'm fortunate enough to have a great family who have supported my musical aspirations for as long as I can remember, and without their support I definitely wouldn't be in Iwrestledabearonce, traveling the world, and living the dream I've had since I was young. I know that not everyone is lucky enough to be raised in that same environment, so if selling these clothes can help generate enough money for VH1 Save The Music to purchase just one instrument for a kid who desperately wants it, then that will be by far one of the best things I've made happen in my life.”



Steven elaborates on the inspiration behind Let’s Make Mistakes, “It's primarily about spreading the message of embracing every single opportunity that you have in life. Nothing is worse than looking back on a missed chance and kicking yourself for wasting what could have turned into something amazing.”



He continues, “Starting a clothing line is something that I've wanted to do for a long time. I really just want to spread the message of encouraging people to be open-minded and not be afraid of living outside of their ‘norm.’ You never know what might happen when you branch out and try something new and different! Obviously sometimes you'll chalk it up as a ‘mistake,’ but I've found that more often than not, the best things in life happen when you let your guard down a little and try something new. Hence, ‘mistakes’ shouldn't always be looked down upon as terrible, when they could in fact be the start of something great.”



The company founder encourages people to stay in touch with him and keep up with new designs through the Let’s Make Mistakes Facebook page and Twitter feed. Says Steven, “New items are already in the works and I'm always listening to people to find out what they're interested in seeing printed. I personally check the Let’s Make Mistakes Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis and would love to hear people's thoughts on what should come next.”



The most extensive product availability will be through the Let’s Make Mistakes MerchNow webstore: http://letsmakemistakes.merchnow.com/.


For more information about Iwrestledabearonce and for the band’s current tour dates, go to www.myspace.com/iwrestledabearonce.


http://www.facebook.com/smokebeers

http://www.twitter.com/smokebeers

www.myspace.com/smokebeers

Candyman 187 releases single

Candyman 187 is releasing his first street single “Show ‘Em All” off his self-released debut album slated for this Fall. The single is produced by Candyman 187 & The Havenotz and Skip Saylor.

"Show Em All" Mp3: http://www.mediafire.com/?jiwwircp5cpb1yw

"Show Em All" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T04kpn8mCQ


http://www.twitter.com/candyman187

http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCandyman187

http://www.myspace.com/candyman187


“I live hard, fight hard, love hard, and can’t give up,” are words hip hop star Candyman 187 lives by. Born in the 80’s, Candyman was raised in Los Angeles with frequent trips to visit family in New York and D.C. A leading music industry influencer, Candyman 187’s music exudes the perfect blend of West Coast bravado and East Coast lyricism.



As a hot-tempered youth, Candyman reevaluated his life and refocused his energy into becoming a revolutionary musician whose goal was to make an impact on anyone who would listen. With no boundaries in his lyrics, Candyman has an ability to bring different types of people together whether it is by race, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliation. His lyrics bring a duality to Hip-Hop that goes unrivaled



During his early years, Candyman 187 was mentored by the legendary Tupac Shakur and Yaki Kadafi of the Outlawz. A strong bond developed amongst the trio, who then went on to form the group The Havenotz.



Candyman 187’s music reflects his experience as a child raised amongst the chaos of “hood” politics. Starting his career at such a young age, the time he spent in studios and around industry moguls was instrumental in shaping his career. He was doubted as an aspiring artist, but whether through song or conversation, you can’t help but be drawn to his charisma and message. A truly versatile artist, he is always working to find new sounds to reach his fans.



Candyman 187 is equal parts street poet, gangster rapper and sinner on his way to Hip Hop sainthood. He has taken in the dreamers, hustlers and talents that society labels black sheep, the degenerates and the hopeless. He has been able to stay ahead of the artistic curve of an ever-changing pop culture by being true to himself. With a team of artists, musicians and producers behind him by the name of The Havenotz, which believes in loyalty, family, and changing the world, Candyman 187 is set to bring a new era to Hip-Hop. They have taken L.A by storm with shows that rival most big name tours; he has show-goers amazed and coming back for more. Not your typical MC and DJ setup, Candyman 187 outshined national headliners with a 13 piece live band making sure that every last sound was heard and felt. He proves to be an unstoppable force even before his first major release. Having won Album of the Year and Artist of the Year at the Los Angeles Music Awards, the Havenotz prove that old school Hip-Hop still has a strong force in the Hip-Hop industry.

Dreams Come True at the Wiltern Oct. 1

One of the most popular and influential Japanese groups of all time, DREAMS COME TRUE is coming to America this fall and will be performing at The Wiltern on October 1st. Tickets for “DREAMS COME TRUE WONDERLAND 2011, THE NIGHT WITH DREAMS COME TRUE in the USA” go on sale Friday, July 1st at 10 AM. Purchase tickets at LiveNation.com, select Live Nation and Ticketmaster retail outlets and via Charge-By-Phone at (800) 745-3000.



Comprised of vocalist Miwa Yoshida and bassist Masato Nakamura, DREAMS COME TRUE’s show at The Wiltern will be their first concert in the U.S. in nine years. The duo will perform “THE NIGHT WITH DREAMS COME TRUE in the USA,” their special set pulled from the “DREAMS COME TRUE WONDERLAND 2011” series. It is also their first time taking this particular show abroad.



In 2002, DREAMS COME TRUE toured internationally with the “2002: Monkey Girl Odyssey US-Mix” and “2002: Monkey Girl Odyssey West Coast-Mix,” shows that were performed entirely in English. However, on this upcoming U.S. tour, Yoshida will perform all of the songs in Japanese providing a unique opportunity for both Japanese and non-Japanese fans living in America to enjoy the songs in Japanese.



This is a big year for the WONDERLAND tour and an exciting challenge for DREAMS COME TRUE. Yoshida and Nakamura are eagerly anticipating the American tour and the ways this experience will offer DREAMS COME TRUE another opportunity to evolve.

Upcoming concerts from Live Nation

ON SALE THIS WEEK:



On Sale Now:
Featuring the Top 8 Finalists of the Most Successful New TV Show This Season

THE VOICE – Live On Tour

With Performances By:

Beverly McClellan – Vicci Martinez – Javier Colon

Dia Frampton – Frenchie Davis – Nakia

Casey Weston - Xenia
Gibson Amphitheatre
July 27

On Sale Thursday June 30 at 10 AM:
JIMMY EAT WORLD

- Performing Bleed American Live in Its Entirety!
The Wiltern
September 29


On Sale Friday July 1 at 10 AM:
CASTING CROWNS
Gibson Amphitheatre
September 27

On Sale Thursday June 30 at 1 PM:
PABLO MILANES
Gibson Amphitheatre
September 8



2nd Night Just Added!
2nd Show On Sale Now:
FOSTER THE PEOPLE
With Special Guest: Reptar
The Wiltern

October 15 – Sold Out!
October 18 – Just Added!

On Sale Now
JORGE FALCON
The Wiltern
Saturday – July 16

On Sale Friday July 1 at 10 AM:
DREAMS COME TRUE
The Wiltern
Saturday - October 1





GO TO LIVENATION.COM for tickets, show information and more

KROQ to present Andy Clockwise residency in LA in July

KROQ’s Locals Only will present Los Angeles-based Australian indie-rock import ANDY CLOCKWISE, in a follow up to a bi-coastal residency, in a month-long Monday night residency at Los Angeles’ Satellite in support of his recent release THE SOCIALITE, it was announced today.

In addition to the residency, Clockwise will join the lineup for the upcoming Australia Rocks the Pier on the Santa Monica Pier July 21st with Missy Higgins and Kim Curchill as part of the Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Dance Series of free Thursday night concerts throughout the summer. Currently, Clockwise is wrapping up a three-show leg of appearances in Los Angeles and will be visiting New York for appearances at Piano’s, Rockwood Music Hall and Brooklyn’s Union Hall. Beginning Monday, July 11th, Clockwise will bring his renowned, electric and raucous live shows to the Satellite for a free-to-the-public, month-long Monday night residency, marking what is a rare second residency appearance for any artist at this particular venue.


Clockwise’s debut album The Socialite, released April 26th, has recently been receiving critical acclaim: “The Socialite sounds like refined Beck with a tad of Morrissey’s wit thrown in for good measure. This is the kind of ‘indie’ that speaks to more than just hipsters. It’s genuinely hip with a bewildering brilliance that warrants numerous listens,” said Artist Direct’s Rick Florino.


Joining Clockwise on stage for the residency shows will be Hundred Days, Lemon Sun, Jerks (Josh Norton and Jamie Douglass of Andy Clockwise) on June 11th; George Stanford, Street & Babe Shadow (Hot Hot Heat’s Luke Paquin) and Toy Bombs on July 18th; and The Bowery Beasts, Useless Keys, and The Darrows (produced by Jason Hill of Louis XIV).

Clockwise has cemented his place in LA’s live music scene, since moving to the US two years ago, with his live shows selling out everywhere from the El Rey to the Troubadour and Spaceland. Backed by drummer Jamie Douglass and Josh Norton on bass and guitar, the talented trio have a synergy and comfort on stage akin to veterans, creating a high-energy show that doesn’t lose speed during the ballads and yet, similarly, keeps expert control during the bravado-like numbers. Clearly influenced by the likes of Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Prince and Tom Waits, Clockwise has a charmingly broad appeal.


UPCOMING SHOWS:

LOS ANGELES

July 2nd Hotel Café



NEW YORK

July 7th Piano’s Advance tickets available here

July 8th Rockwood Music Hall

July 9th Brooklyn’s Union Hall Advance tickets available here



LOS ANGELES

July 11th The Satellite w/ Lemon Sun; Jerks (Norton & Douglass of Clockwise)

July 18th The Satellite w/ Street & Babe Shadow (Hot Hot Heat’s Luke Paquin)

July 21st Australia Rocks the Pier w/ Missy Higgins – Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Dance Series

July 25th The Satellite w/ Useless Keys



Blending rock, pop, synth and punk into self-described “schizo pop,” the debut album from this electric live performer features 13 tracks, available on iTunes now. Recorded in Sydney, New York, London, Hollywood, airport bathrooms, hotel rooms, garages and other places around the world, The Socialite showcases the tremendous range of Clockwise’s musicianship with Clockwise writing each song and playing all instruments for the recorded tracks. From angst-filled indie/pop/rock numbers to ballads and performances that near an anthem rock feel, the 13 tracks on The Socialite parallel the raucous and relentless live performances that have popularized Clockwise.



Clockwise’s local success comes after achieving national success Down Under, including steady radio play and tours with bands like INXS and The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas. More recently, Clockwise was featured in several showcases at the internationally-recognized 2011 SXSW music festival, including the Hotel Café, Little Radio and Aussie BBQ showcases.



For more information, please visit www.andyclockwise.net.
Follow Andy on twitter at @andyclockwise and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/andyclockwise.

New World FEST in Santa Monica Oct. 7-9 seeking indie artists

The New World F.E.S.T. (http://www.thenewworldfest.com ), a new breed of Eco-Festival taking place from October 7-9, 2011 at the beach in Santa Monica, CA is offering two prime-time, full-paying gigs exclusively to Indie artists.

To be considered for the gigs, bands must apply by submitting their EPK (Electronic Press Kit) through Sonicbids at http://www.sonicbids.com/thenewworldfest on or before September 16, 2011. All entries will be juried, rated and two winners will be chosen to play before thousands of eco-friendly festival-goers at the 2011 show. Winners will be chosen on September 26, 2011.

City of Ships to release new album

Avant-rock trio City of Ships have announced their much anticipated sophomore album, Minor World, which will be co-released by Translation Loss Records and Sound Study Recordings on July 19. Minor World is the follow-up to 2009's critically acclaimed debut full-length Look What God Did To Us.

Beginning today, Sound Study Recordings is offering fans the chance to pre-order Minor World on limited edition (500) 210 gram vinyl here http://soundstudyrecordings.com/soundstudy/shop.html
and Translation Loss Records is offering a CD pre-order here
http://translationloss.com/store/.

On City of Ships’ follow up to Look What God Did To Us, one of Decibel Magazine’s Top Metal Albums of 2009, Eric Jernigan (guitar/vocals), Andrew Jernigan (bass) and Rob Motes (drums) set out to push the boundaries of their music farther than ever before. Expanding immensely upon 2009's heralded release, City of Ships meticulously weave post-metal and art-rock styles resulting in an intense yet completely accessible sound that's all their own and impossible to pigeonhole.

“We recorded with Andrew Schneider (Rosetta, Pelican) again, this time at his new studio in Brooklyn,” says Jernigan. “We had some meetings with Schneider ahead of our sessions and agreed we'd set no limits on the variety of timbre and texture on the record. To that end we used a wide range of unusual mics, multiple guitars, more than half a dozen amps, and even different drum tones in order to highlight the individuality of each track.”

After six months of writing and recording, their newfound vision paid off. Instead of re-creating Look What God Did To Us, City of Ships continue to challenge themselves, breathing new life into the band’s massive sound with each note.

“Without sacrificing our love of the almighty riff, we let melody guide the trajectory of Minor World,” adds Jernigan. “The song-writing is more fluid than anything in City of Ships history and vocals take center stage more frequently than they ever have.”

While Minor World’s title is a tongue-in-cheek nod to City of Ships’ self-described relative obscurity, there is nothing “minor” about the new album. Colossal guitars and roaring vocals meld seamlessly with mountainous sound-scapes of ambient melody and indie-rock fervor on tracks like "Subrosa," "Low Countries" and "Celestial Navigation" as City of Ships skillfully churn their way through the peaks and valleys of the 42 minute long Minor World.

City of Ships is currently trekking their way across Europe and will return for a US tour later this summer.

Minor World Track Listing:
1. Clotilde
2. Subrosa
3. Low Countries
4. Tantric Engineer
5. Darkness at Noon
6. Easy Way / Hard Way
7. Celestial Navigation
8. Sweet Delirium
9. Chainman
10. Low Lives


For More Information:
http://www.cityofships.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Ships/6616304498
http://twitter.com/cityofships
http://www.myspace.com/cityofships
http://www.translationloss.com/
http://www.soundstudyrecordings.com

Styx and Yes at the Greek Aug. 2

Legendary rockers STYX--Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitars), James “JY” Young (vocals, guitars), Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), Todd Sucherman (drums) and Ricky Phillips (bass), along with the occasional surprise appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo. The band’s getting ready to head out on the U.S. concert trail again this summer with fellow legendary rockers YES for the “Progressive U.S. Tour.”

They’re making a stop in Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre on Tuesday, August 2 (YES closing).

"When I first heard YES, I knew that the music world was forever changed,” says STYX singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw. “They took progressive rock to a place that had never been expressed in such an impressive yet accessible way. Who among you didn't make it a point to learn the acoustic guitar intro to ‘Roundabout?’ We're very excited to tour with them for the very first time."

STYX is currently putting the finishing touches on REGENERATION, VOLUME 2, the follow-up to 2010’s seven-song EP, REGENERATION, VOLUME 1, which contains six newly re-recorded classics--"Come Sail Away,” "Crystal Ball," "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” “Lorelei,” “The Grand Illusion” and “Sing For The Day”—and a brand new track, “Difference In The World.” The track listing for REGENERATION, VOLUME 2 is: “Renegade,” “Blue Collar Man,” “Too Much Time On My Hands,” “Queen of Spades,” “Coming Of Age” (Damn Yankees), “High Enough” (Damn Yankees), “Snowblind,” “Miss America.” Both volumes will be available for sale at every stop along the tour route.

Spawned from a Chicago basement in the early ‘70s, STYX would eventually transform into the virtual arena rock prototype by the late '70s and early '80s, due to a fondness for big rockers and soaring power ballads. Over the course of their 38-year career they’ve released 15 studio albums, 6 best-of compilations and 4 live albums, garnering 8 Top Ten singles. STYX has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Throughout their illustrious career, they’ve performed more live shows since 1999 than all of the previous years of its career combined. Two Super-Bowl appearances, Pollstar box office chart-topping tours with Def Leppard, Journey, Boston, REO Speedwagon and Bad Company (to name only a few), two more studio albums and no end in sight, STYX continues to conquer the planet, one venue at a time.


www.styxworld.com

Bill Word & Friends comedy July 30 in Whittier

Bill Word and Friends
Saturday, July 30, 2011, 8:00 PM
$10 cover, two beverage minimum
http://www.killerkomedy.com/

Norwalk Moose Lodge

13305 Imperial Highway

Whittier, CA 90605

More info call (949) 223-0298

Host: Bill Word

Headliner: Richard Daryl Osborn

THE FRIENDS:
Featuring the comedy of:

Daniel Eachus

Doyle Hanks

Janine Hayes

Damien HD

Charlene Ward

Leslie Zimmerman

John Legend invests in HINT

Popular recording artist, John Legend, and a group of his colleagues have invested in San Francisco-based healthy lifestyle company HINT, Inc.



Legend and associates at The Artists Organization, a Los-Angeles-based artist representation firm, first discovered unsweetened HINT essence water last year at Whole Foods Markets and Starbucks Coffee Company. They contacted HINT founders Kara and Theo Goldin to learn more about the company and its goals, and discovered that HINT was about much more than simple refreshment, but easy steps towards a healthier way of life.



"I enjoy drinking HINT water because it's refreshing without tasting sweet or artificially flavored," says Legend. "As we got to know Kara and Theo, it became clear that HINT is ultimately their commitment to making it easier for people to lead healthier lifestyles. I joined them as an investor not only because I actually drink HINT water, but also because I truly believe in both the product and its "Drink Water, Not Sugar" message and I am excited to watch the company grow."



“It’s great to have someone on board who believes in the ideals of why HINT was founded,” says Kara Goldin, CEO of HINT Inc.



Gary Gersh, Legend's manager and founder of The Artists Organization, was introduced to HINT when he opened his home refrigerator and saw that his wife had filled two shelves of it with the essence water. "She had been drinking HINT for months and was hooked," said Gersh. "It turned out that several people I know, including John, had also been drinking HINT, so we decided to find out more about the product, how it is made, and what the company itself stands for."



G2 Investment Group www.g2investmentgroup.com , a New York based investment management company, has invested in HINT alongside Legend as a part of their ongoing partnership with TAO.



With over 60 percent of the United States overweight, HINT is just one step toward helping people live a better lifestyle. In the midst of a childhood obesity epidemic, HINT is the first beverage other than plain water approved by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation in schools. With this in mind, John believed in HINT and saw that he was supporting a much larger cause to help people change the way they consume products and read labels.



The problems we face today can seem overwhelming and complicated, but the solution might just start with something as simple as Drink Water, Not Sugar.



Below is a link to John’s story on YouTube explaining his why he chose to align himself with HINT: www.youtube.com/HINTtv.

The Orion Experience in LA July 25 and 27

The Orion Experience (http://theorionexperience.com/ ), an underground indie band whose legion of fans include Rachael Ray, Perez Hilton and Lady Gaga, announced today that they will be performing on the West Coast between July 25 and August 14 in support of their 5-song E.P. entitled NYC Girl. The first confirmed dates are:

July 25 @ Honeypot Radio Show, Los Angeles, CA
July 27 @ Crazy Girls Rock Wednesday’s, Los Angeles, CA

Additional dates to be added shortly.

The Orion Experience are best known for placement of their upbeat, danceable tunes on popular national television shows. They have been able to license their music multiple times to Nickelodeon for programs like “iCarly,” (most recently “iParty with Victorious”. The episode drew 7.316 million viewers, making it the highest rated television program for the week), “Victorious” and “Zoey 101,” as well as MTV programs like “Laguna Beach,” and “The Hills,” “The Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS) and “Windfall” (NBC). Biography, A&E, Breyer’s Ice Cream and Bravo have also licensed tracks from the band’s first two releases.

This mainstream music placement success has had an unexpected benefit as well. Perez Hilton called the track “Obsessed With You,” an “indie pop gem” because it’s “so damn hooky” before featuring it on his site. Television cooking queen, Rachael Ray booked the band at her SXSW Feedback Festival last year alongside She & Him, Jakob Dylan, Dr. Dog and others. Additional notable fans include producer Steve Lillywhite, and singers Alexa Ray Joel and Lady Gaga.

The Orion Experience’s superbly crafted pop songwriting and irresistible hooks are the band’s calling card. Praised for their irreverence and enthusiasm both live and on record, the band showcases their orchestration and songwriting abilities on NYC Girl, while paying homage to the music they have loved for years.

The track “NYC Girl” highlights classic disco arrangements, with USA TODAY noting that it recalls a “70’s era Electric Light Orchestra”.

A ‘90s-era George Michael is the obvious influence for the hand-clapping stomp “Rollercoaster” and the gentle closing track “Sweet Friend” takes its flavor from Queen, complete with a Brian May guitar homage right in the gooey center.

Tracks included on NYC Girl are:

1. NYC Girl
2. Emerald Eyes
3. Vampire
4. Rollercoaster
5. Sweet Friend


ABOUT THE ORION EXPERIENCE
Formed in 2005, The Orion Experience has released their full-length debut album, Cosmicandy (2007), Heartbreaker (2008) and will release their new EP, NYC Girl this April. The Orion Experience is: Orion Simprini (lead vocals), Linda Horwatt (keyboard, vocals), Reef Rox (guitar), Chris Lucas (bass), and Jon Weber (drums). They are based in New York City.

Grifter to release new album

Ripple Music is proud to announce the new Grifter self-titled CD is in the final throes of post-production and set for release on Tuesday, October 4th in the U.S. Originally formed in 2003, Grifter has spent the better part of the last decade spreading their blues-based, riff heavy rock n’ roll message across the UK via live shows and a ton of physical and digital EP’s. Now, they’re ready to unleash their rip roarin’ good time on a world-wide level!

"Life ain't a bowl of cherries...you work for "the man", pay taxes to "the man", obey "the man"...but when the working day is done, the rock and roll is all yours. Grifter play rock and roll!!!” states guitarist/vocalist Ollie Stygall on the mindset behind the new album and the bands musical intent, “We want you to buy our album. We want you to drink beer while listening to our album (or whiskey if you prefer). We want you to enjoy our album as much as we enjoyed creating it. Then we want to come to your town and play for you, play with you, drink with you and rock out with you...wherever you are and whoever you are. It's all about the rock!!!”

This gritty eleven track album is the bands first full-length effort with indie rock label Ripple Music, however, Grifter’s unique biker rock sound first appeared on the Ripple roster with their dual contribution to the Heavy Ripples, Vol. 1 compilation released earlier this year. To fill out the year, Grifter are performing numerous shows throughout the south of England, as well as preparing for a tour of UK and parts of Europe.

Pre-orders for the album will begin in September through the Ripple Music Store.

www.ripple-music.com

The Front Bottoms to release album

Riding on a crest of anticipation for a debut full-length, New Jersey indiepop duo THE FRONT BOTTOMS have announced a September 6, 2011 release date for their self-titled album on Bar/None Records (The Feelies, Of Montreal, They Might Be Giants). The band is launching the album with a FREE download of the first single "THE BEERS,"a paean about wooing a muscle-loving girl ("And I will remember that Summer / As the Summer I was taking steroids / Cuz you like a man with muscles / And I like you"), which can be downloaded here: http://www.reybee.com/the-beers. The band are also playing a handful of shows straight through the Summer, including a supporting slot for Seattle buzzband He Is We .

A well-kept secret in their homestate, the release of The Front Bottoms marks the band's national debut which will undoubtedly fuel a big step for the boys. With shows playing with bands as diverse as Minus the Bear and Vanessa Carlton and well-received spots on Bamboozle, Cupcake Fest, and Northern Jersey's indie festival Waynestock among many others, their live shows have been creating quite a stir. Described rather accurately as "quirky, endearing and unapologetically unpolished duo" by The Bergen Record, they credit their undeniable creative fusion from their long-running friendship. The Indie Post voted them as “Band to Watch in 2011,” saying, "I am almost certain that the Front Bottoms will remember this Summer as the Summer their careers finally took major flight."

Quirky yet fiercely addictive, The Front Bottoms is an oddly endearing collection of songs that is intensely musical and immediately infectious. Circling around the compact setup of acoustic guitarist Brian Sella's engaging, cracking vocals and Mathew Uychich's compelling drumming and bullhorned backing vocals, the album pulls out all the stops and propels you into a surreal world of angst-riddled observations of youth, foolish romance, and the kind of hilarious wordplay worthy of David Sedaris. It kicks off with the skewed high school nostalgia of "Flashlight" ("a lot of the kids we graduated with are now homeless") to the vivid fantasy of parental revenge ("I have this dream that I'm hitting my dad with a baseball bat... and maybe halfway through it, it has more to do with me killing him than it ever did protecting myself") to the propulsive schadenfreudian pop of "Maps" ("one day you'll be washing yourself with handsoap in a public bathroom") to the cautionary tale of buying fireworks in "Mountain" ("I bought fireworks / A big bag in Pennsylvania / I'm gonna light 'em up when I get home to Jersey / They'll probably arrest me").

The Front Bottoms is Brian Sella (vocals/guitars) and Matt Uychich (drums). Their debut album The Front Bottoms will be released September 6, 2011 on Bar/None Records.

The Chariot to tour in support of upcoming album

THE CHARIOT are pleased to announce the upcoming August 2nd release of the new vinyl LP version of their latest GOOD FIGHT MUSIC release, Long Live. Long Live was released on November 22nd, 2010 and is the band’s fourth full-length album to date.


The new 180 gram weight vinyl LP comes with exclusive silk-screened, hand-numbered jackets. Hot Topic will exclusively carry a white version of the vinyl with black spatters, numbered 1 through 1,000. The GOOD FIGHT store, the band (on tour), and your favorite local vinyl retailer will carry black with white spatters, numbered 1,001 through 2000. The vinyl will include a bonus track, ‘Music of a Grateful Heart’, previously available only on the limited edition 7-inch version. The track will also be available on iTunes and all digital outlets as a single track. Fans can pre-order the LP now by itself, or in a special bundle that includes a THE CHARIOT t-shirt.


THE CHARIOT will hit the road this Friday on this year’s SCREAM THE PRAYER TOUR, also featuring Norma Jean, Sleeping Giant, War Of Ages, Close Your Eyes, Texas In July, I The Breather, The Great Commission, As Hell Retreats, and Sovereign Strength. See below for the entire rundown of SCREAM THE PRAYER TOUR dates.


SCREAM THE PRAYER TOUR DATES:

7/1 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown

7/2 Bushnell, IL @ Cornerstone Festival (Not all STP bands on festival)

7/3 Bushnell, IL @ Cornerstone Festival – THE CHARIOT headlining HM Encore Stage (Not all STP bands on festival)

7/5 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock

7/6 Baltimore, MD @ Sonar

7/7 Charlotte, NC @ Amos

7/8 Douglasville, GA @ The 7 Venue

7/9 Jacksonville, FL @ Murray Hill Theatre

7/10 Pratville (Montgomery), AL @ The Blue Iguana

7/11 Little Rock, AR @ Riverfront Pavilion

7/14 Willmar, MN @ Sonshine Festival

7/15 Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick Centre

7/16 Willmar, MN @ Sonshine Festival

7/17 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

7/19 Dayton, OH @ The Attic

7/22 McAllen, TX @ Las Palmas Racepark w/ The All Stars Tour

7/23 San Antonio, TX @ The Backstage Live w/ The All Stars Tour

7/24 Dallas, TX @ The Palladium w/ The All Stars Tour

7/25 Tulsa, OK @ Cains Ballroom

7/26 Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theatre

7/27 Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall

7/28 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

7/30 Tucson, AZ @ The Rock

7/31 Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse


For more information on THE CHARIOT, please visit these sites:


http://www.thechariotjams.tumblr.com

http://www.facebook.com/thechariot

http://twitter.com/thechariotjams

http://www.myspace.com/thechariot

http://www.goodfightmusic.com/

Upcoming concerts from Goldenvoice

On Sale Now!


Tedeschi Trucks Band – special event one night only!

July 18th / El Rey Theatre / Doors: 7pm / $61.50, $41.50 / on sale now



Zee Avi

October 15th / El Rey Theatre / Doors: 8pm / $17 adv & $19 dos / on sale now



On Sale Thursday!



Justin Townes Earle with Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit

September 28th / The Music Box / Doors: 8pm / $20 / on sale 6/30 @ 10am



On Sale Saturday!



Mike Doughty and His Band Fantastic

November 4th / El Rey Theatre / Doors: 8pm / $22 / on sale 7/2 @ 10am



Added Support



Goldenvoice & FYF present

Fucked Up with Trash Talk, FIDLAR

July 26th / El Rey Theatre / Doors: 8pm / $17.50 / on sale now


http://www.goldenvoice.com

http://www.twitter.com/goldenvoice

Three 6 Mafia releasing new music & on VH1

Academy-award winning Down South Hip-Hop group Three 6 Mafia are still evolving and reinventing themselves after garnering a cult-like following from their humble beginnings peddling mix tapes in Memphis, Tennessee two decades ago. The duo, DJ Paul and Juicy J, are ushering in some old-school flavor by releasing separate mix tapes.

DJ Paul’s mix tape “Pray for Forgiveness” was released through iTunes on June 21st and is now available on LiveMixTapes.com. The 22- track mix tape includes features from Ya Boy, Young Buck and Charlie P. Juicy J’s mix tape “Rubba Band Business 2” is currently available through LiveMixTapes.com. The 28-track was co-produced by the hottest new producer in the rap game, Lex Luger.


On July 10th, VH1 will premiere their new show “Famous Food” featuring DJ Paul and Juicy "J" of Three 6 Mafia alongside celebrities Heidi Montag, Ashley Dupre, Danielle Staub, Jake Pavelka and Vincent Pastore. Partnering with renowned restaurateurs, The Dolce Group, VH1 will give the seven celebrities the chance to partner with and turn one of their West Hollywood properties into a flourishing and fully-operating restaurant.


About Three 6 Mafia:



Three 6 Mafia is an award wining hip-hop duo that consists of “DJ Paul” and “Juicy J.” The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Science awarded Three 6 Mafia an Oscar statue for the Best Achievement In Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song) for their song, “It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp,” from the highly acclaimed movie “Hustle & Flow.”


In 2005, the group released Most Known Unknown, which was singled out as "one of the year's best hip-hop albums," by Kelefa Sanneh in a "Critic's Choice" review in The New York Times. The RIAA platinum-certified Most Known Unknown entered the Billboard Top 200 album sales chart at #3 while also debuting at #1 on both the R&B Album Sales and the Rap Album Sales charts. Their previous album, the RIAA Gold-certified Da Unbreakables, debuted at #4 on the Top 200 in 2003 and the Rap album sales chart at #1.

Three 6 Mafia scored its first major label success in 1997 with Chapter 2: World Domination (Relativity), which sold more than 800,000 copies. Even more success came with the follow-up album, When The Smoke Clears, in 2000. That album debuted at #6 on Billboard's Top 200 album sales chart, and has sold well over one million copies.

Poet Carol Lem in La Canada Flintridge July 10

On Sunday, July 10, from 3 – 5 P.M., Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse hosts a reading and book signing for poet Carol Lem. Lem will ready from Gathering the Pieces and Shadow of the Plum. Also available is a CD of her reading a selection from the latter book, accompanied on the shakuhachi (bamboo flute) with original music by Masakazu Yoshizawa. Lem is also a student of the shakuhachi.



Carol Lem lives in Sierra Madre and teaches creative writing and literature at East Los Angeles College. Her poems in Gathering the Pieces have been described by Christopher Buckley as ”remarkable for their quiet insight and humility, for their keen attention to and transformation of the small details of a life.” And, Gary Soto said of Shadow of the Plum, “Are her poems modest? No. They are as strong as bamboo, bendable in our minds. Carol displays an affection for family, poets, students, and her dead lover that is vivid, honest, and memorable.”



Excerpt from the poem “Shakuhachi and the Alhambra” (Gathering the Pieces):



Maybe it was the folds

of night and white noise,

the glowing Alhambra

on the next hill that made

the moment right.

I slipped my shakuhachi

from its warm case

and rubbed the dark bamboo.

while those, loosely

collected, talked and drank,

I propped myself on the ledge

of Mirador de San Nicolas,

crossed my legs, and blew

my first sound over the steep

cliff to the gardens of Spain.



Lem comments that she is driven by “the ongoing quest to complete the pieces of a puzzle through the writing of poetry, a craft that will always discover another piece missing.” She is also the author of Searching, Grassroots, Don’t Ask Why, The Hermit, The Hermit’s Journey: Tarot Poems for Meditation, and Moe (Remembrance).



For more information about the Carol Lem’s reading, call (818) 790-0717. Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge CA 91011, at the intersection of Foothill Blvd. and the Angeles Crest Highway. Take the Angeles Crest exit off the 210, turn south, make a right onto Foothill Blvd., and turn left onto Chevy Chase. Parking is in the rear of the store.

Long Beach summer concert series announces lineup

Sundays in the Park with SAM (SIPS)—a major of component of Downtown Long Beach’s award-winning, sustainable concert series, Summer And Music (SAM)—announces its lineup for the month of July, featuring 15 outstanding performances by local musicians. SIPS runs throughout the summer with free, all-ages shows every Sunday afternoon in June, July and August.


WHO: The lineup for July’s SIPS features numerous local bands and solo performers, including old favorites and up-and-coming talent. Some Things Creative will present mobile art galleries at all SIPS shows.


Sunday, July 3 Performers

3:30 p.m. Fielding

4:30 p.m. Jenny Long

5:45 p.m. Ben White



Sunday, July 10 Performers

3:30 p.m. Brett Bixby

4:30 p.m. Lucky Penny

5:45 p.m. Signal Hillbillies



Sunday, July 17 Performers

3:30 p.m. Forest of Tongue

4:30 p.m. Wild Pack of Canaries

5:45 p.m. Two Guns



Sunday, July 24 Performers

3:30 p.m. Cece Sherman

4:30 p.m. Program Love

5:45 p.m. Sam Outlaw



Sunday, July 31 Performers

3:30 p.m. Abigail Davidson

4:30 p.m. Paper Kites

5:45 p.m. Summer Darling


WHEN: Sunday July 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2011 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

WHERE: Promenade Square Park, at the intersection of First Street and The Promenade in Downtown Long Beach, Calif.

HOW: SAM is fortified by the dedicated efforts of an entire team of event-coordinating music lovers and by a unique partnership with Downtown Long Beach Associates and the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (RDA), as well as by the generous support of its community sponsors (listed below). It’s truly of the people and for the people. For more information, call (562) 436-4259 or check out the website: www.summerandmusic.com

Friday Night Redemption at the Laugh Factory July 1

Star Studded Lineup featuring:

PK (Kollaboration, Laugh Factory)

DUMBFOUNDEAD (Knocksteady)

ANDY HUR (Dehydrated Comedy)

JUSTIN RIVERA (Comedy Central, Magic Castle)

WALTER HONG (Chocolate Sundaes, Bleu)

YOSHI (Russell Peters Tour)

& JOHNNY SANCHEZ!!! (Comedy Central, Mad TV)


Friday, JULY 1, 2011 8:00 PM
It's all in the name. Come join us on Friday night where we host a full line-up of the hottest comedians in the country. Its the weekend! So head out and catch some laughs courtesy of LA’s top comics.

Send your names (up to +3 per name) to:

pkguestlist@gmail.com by FRIDAY NOON!

Laugh Factory - 8001 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles
http://www.laughfactory.com/

www.youtube.com/channelpktown

Counting Crows live CD & DVD to be released

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to announce the simultaneous release on CD, DVD and Blu-Ray on August 30 of August And Everything After – Live At Town Hall from Counting Crows. The DVD and Blu-Ray are the first-ever video releases from this acclaimed band and all formats of this release feature the complete album August And Everything After performed live with extended running times and a few surprises. The set list of this live show includes the hit singles “Mr Jones,” “Round Here” and “Rain King.” [Pre-book Order Date August 5, 2011, MSRP $14.98 for DVD, $13.98 for CD, $19.98 for Blu-ray]

Counting Crows’ debut album August And Everything After was released in late 1993 and went on to sell over seven million copies in America. On September 18, 2007, the band performed the complete album live at Town Hall in New York City.

The lineup for this stellar evening captured on August And Everything After – Live At Town Hall was: Jim Bogios (drums, vocals, percussion); David Bryson (electric and acoustic guitars, vocals); Adam Duritz (vocals); Charles Gillingham (piano, hammond B-3 organ, accordian, harmonica, vocals); David Immergluck (electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, pedal steel, vocals), Millard Powers (bass, vocals, piano); Dan Vickrey (electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, vocals). This live showcase of their complete debut album proves what truly great performing artists Counting Crows are.

New "True Blood" soundtrack to be released

WaterTower Music has announced the upcoming release of “TRUE BLOOD – MUSIC FROM THE HBO ORIGINAL SERIES – VOLUME 3” due in stores and online this fall. The follow up to the first two Grammy® nominated soundtracks will consist of new songs from the upcoming forth season of the acclaimed HBO drama as well as music from the show’s wildly successful 3rd season.



Music is an essential element in developing the tone and atmosphere on the hit television series. The sexy, supernatural world of Bon Temps comes to pulsating life through the edgy songs and season three is no exception. An exceptional duet recorded by Neko Case and Nick Cave will be the first track from the collection to make its debut. Case and Cave have recorded a new version of The Zombies’ classic “She’s Not There” which will be available at all digital retailers on June 26, after the premiere episode.



"I am so excited about Neko and Nick's cover of ‘She's Not There,’" says True Blood music supervisor and soundtrack producer Gary Calamar. “I would have been thrilled to have either Neko Case or Nick Cave individually work with us this season, but to have a collaboration like this blows me away. Two of my favorite artists whose music is perfect a fit with the atmospheric and soulful Louisiana settings of True Blood. This is a fantastic way to musically kick off the new season!”



Washington-bred Neko Case’s mix of country, gospel, torch, and pop, and her five full-length solo albums have won her much critical acclaim, countless devotees and two Grammy nominations. Internationally renowned as a singer, songwriter, performer, script writer and novelist, Nick Cave’s career spans from the 80s Australian post‑punk group The Birthday Party, to legendary band Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds to the irrepressible raucous and raw Grinderman.



Information on the additional tracks included in “TRUE BLOOD – MUSIC FROM THE HBO ORIGINAL SERIES – VOLUME 3” will be released later this summer.



Centered in the fictional town of Bon Temps, the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning True Blood series follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (played by Anna Paquin), who can read minds, and 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (played by Stephen Moyer). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy®-winning HBO series Six Feet Under) is creator and executive producer the show, which is based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.



Gary Calamar serves as music supervisor and soundtrack producer for of “TRUE BLOOD – MUSIC FROM THE HBO ORIGINAL SERIES – VOLUME 3”

For additional information, please visit www.hbo.com/trueblood.

Musician interviews and more from Lipton Iced Tea

Top music artists share intimate, first-hand experiences of what natural music means to them as part of "The Natural Side of Music" from 100% Natural Lipton Iced Tea and PANDORA internet radio.


In addition to the artist interviews,100% Natural Lipton Iced Tea is offering another natural take on music through four unique PANDORA stations: Lipton Pop, Lipton Hip Hop, Lipton Country or Lipton Rock.


WHERE : "The Natural Side of Music" homepage and www.Facebook.com/liptonicedtea


WHY: The new 100% Natural Lipton Iced Tea is now available in four flavors: long-time fan favorites, Green Tea with Citrus and Iced Tea with Lemon, as well as two new flavors-Iced Tea with Blueberry Pomegranate and Green Tea with Passionfruit Mango.


The Diet portfolio includes a new Diet Green Tea with Watermelon which joins the beloved Diet Green Tea with Citrus flavor, both free of artificial colors and flavors.

Stan Lee, Yoshiki & Todd McFarlane to unveil new comic book series

Stan Lee, Chief Creative Officer of POW!
Entertainment (OTCQB: POWN), music superstar and humanitarian Yoshiki, and
world renowned comic book artist Todd McFarlane will unveil the debut issue
of the highly anticipated comic book series Blood Red Dragon at Comic-Con
International on Thursday, July 21, 2011. Lee, McFarlane and Yoshiki, on
whom the comic¹s central superhero is based, will present the first
installment of Blood Red Dragon, which features a surprise and
first-of-its-kind publishing innovation that combines the unique skills of
these three world-renowned artists. Lee, McFarlane, and Yoshiki will join
established and respected comic book writer Jon Goff in a panel discussion
at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel in the Indigo room on Thursday, July
21st from 1pm-2pm, followed by press interviews from 2-3:30pm.



Blood Red Dragon Issue #0, the first in the series published by Todd
McFarlane Productions, focuses on the origin of an ancient and benevolent
force, locked in an epic battle with the dark armies of Oblivion. Creative
expression and destiny collide, as once in a generation an individual is
born with the potential to unlock the awesome might of the Blood Red Dragon,
thus channeling a power beyond comprehension and assuming the mantle of
Earth¹s protector. When agents of Oblivion discover that the key to
accessing the Blood Red Dragon's energy lays in music‹the melodic heart of
the human spirit, they launch a series of violent attacks on musicians
across the globe. As he performs in front of a large crowd during the
opening show of a massive world tour, drummer and keyboardist Yoshiki comes
face-to-face with his destiny, experiencing a transformation that will
forever change his life‹and possibly the fate of the world.



"I am extremely excited about Blood Red Dragon," said Lee. "Yoshiki's
exceptional musical abilities, visual flair and passionate humanitarianism
make him an amazing and inspiring collaborator and I think readers will
experience every bit of that in the comics."



Added Yoshiki, "Working with the one-and-only Stan Lee has been an
incredible experience for me. He is truly a genius and one of the best
storytellers living today. I'm excited with the results of our efforts and
look forward to the response from readers and music lovers around the
world."



'Being able to collaborate with creators on a global level is always a
thrill," said McFarlane. "Working with two big names, like Yoshiki and Stan
Lee, I hope I'm able to add a little bit of my touch to a book that my,
Stan's, but most importantly Yoshiki's fans will enjoy. At the same time, I
hope this book helps introduce Yoshiki to fans that don't know him on
American shores."

American Legacy Fine Arts to show work by Eric Merrell July 16

American Legacy Fine Arts will present a collection of stunning paintings of the almost other-worldly terrain of the Mojave Desert during the exhibition Eric Merrell: Romance of the West - and the Western Spirit, which will be on view at the private gallery in Pasadena from July 16 to August 13, 2011.


A reception with the artist will be held on the opening day of the exhibition from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.


The 33-year-old Merrell created this body of work, comprised of 40 still life and landscape paintings that showcases the rugged, yet provocative, sensitivity of the American West, during his 2009 summer residency in Joshua Tree National Forest, near the California-Mexico border. The paintings were previously on view during a successful ten-week exhibition at the Forbes Galleries in New York City in 2010.


“The surreal desertscapes of the Mojave's Joshua Tree Forest and the Salton Sea provide the ultimate subjects for the sublime style of Eric Merrell,” remarked ALFA Director Elaine Adams. “His high-key color values project the intensity of the bright sunlight reflecting off the hot desert sand, and are in sharp contrast to the shades of cool blue hues in his nocturnes that convey the sudden drop in temperature that occurs in the cold desert evening,” added Adams.


American Legacy Fine Arts is located in the tranquil Pasadena neighborhood near the world-famous Rose Bowl. Gallery hours are by appointment 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Art enthusiasts interested in viewing the exhibition may schedule appointments by either calling (626) 577-7733 or emailing info@americanlegacyfinearts.com. The exhibition may also be viewed at the gallery's website, www.americanlegacyfinearts.com.

"Twisted Branches" in North Hollywood Aug. 1

Twisted Branches

Every now and again, there is a groundbreaking idea so compelling
that it weaves its way into the fabric of our culture. "Twisted
Branches" is the compelling tale of an average American family
plucked from obscurity and placed under the scrutiny of a discerning
television lens. Combining classic storytelling, music and dance
along with a pioneering live performance effect, that involves
stereoscopic 3D, “Twisted Branches” is destined to break tradition
and reinvent the way we experience theatre.

At the helm of this daunting task is acclaimed choreographer and
Michael Jackson protégé, Eddie Garcia. Along with the technical
wizardry of John Virciglio, Eddie Garcia’s story is brought to life
by enhancing live performances with a Stereoscopic 3D illusion,
complete with traditional 3D glasses. This dynamic duo has provided
a new and exciting presentation to live theater that has previously
been restricted to motion pictures.

Experience the world premier of “Twisted Branches” on Monday, August
1, 2011 at the beautiful El Portal Theatre.



The Nvitational presents
Eddie Garcia’s “Twisted Branches”

Monday, August 01 at 8:30PM

at El Portal Main Stage
5269 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
For tickets: Call the El Portal Box Office: 818-508-4200

Corner of Lankershim and Weddington; NoHo Arts District
Metro Red Line North Hollywood station; orange line bus station;
accessible from 134, 101 freeways

Support local music at Mr. T's Bowl in Highland Park

Mr. T's Bowl

http://mrtsbowl.tripod.com

http://prem.calendars.net/mrtsbowl


Friday, July 8

9pm - Anglo Jackson
www.myspace.com/anglojackson

10pm - Irene Diaz
www.myspace.com/irenediazmusic

11pm - The Pristines
www.facebook.com/PristinesMusic#!/PristinesMusic

12am - Don Gato
www.facebook.com/dongatosound#!/dongatosound?sk=wall

12:45am - Brain Jammage
www.soundcloud.com/patrick-daley

Saturday, July 9

Patsy DeKline and Friends

9pm- Chikwood
www.facebook.com/rinlennon

10:00pm - Bulimia Banquet
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1038304765

11pm - Patsy DeKline
www.myspace.com/patsydekline9

12am - Sylvia Juncosa Band
www.facebook.com/syljay

1am - Duchess DeSade Band
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1058904919

Thursday, July 14

10pm - Dream Homes
www.myspace.com/theloyalsonsanddaughters

11pm - Spaceships
www.myspace.com/spaceshipsLA

Plus 3 bands TBD

Luke Temple of Here We Go Magic to release solo album

Luke Temple
New Solo Record Don't Act Like You Don't Care
Out On Western Vinyl August 30th

Tracklisting

In The Open
More Than Muscle
How Could I Lie
Weekend Warrior
Ophelia
Ballad for Dick George
So Long, So Long
You Belong To Heaven
Luck Part

Before the success of his group Here We Go Magic, Luke Temple worked full-time as a plasterer. At nights after work, he spent his hours crafting what would become Here We Go Magic's self-titled debut. During the days he wrote a completely different set of songs in his head. The resulting record Don't Act Like You Don't Care shines with clarity and daylight, in contrast to Here We Go Magic's hazy aquatic debut.

After recording two critically acclaimed solo records for Mill Pond (2005, 2007) Temple's work still hadn't garnered much attention from the record-buying public. Frustrated, but not defeated, he focused his creative energy into the writing of two amazing, but completely different records. Initially referred to as "The Country Record," Don't Act Like You Don't Care was shelved due to the success of Here We Go Magic's self-titled debut. Now, three years later, we're finally able to offer this incredible collection of folk-pop songs.

Unlike the Here We Go Magic record, Don't Act Like You Don't Care focuses on Temple's songwriting and evocative tenor. From heartbreaking ballads like "So Long, So Long" and "Ballad for Dick George" to jaunty pop gems like "Ophelia" and "In The Open" you'll become fast friends with these songs that continue to satisfy after hundreds of listens.

Inspired by Rudy Vangelder's early Blue Note recordings, Temple and friends recorded the songs in two 4-hour sessions using just three microphones and a 4-track recorder. Temple is fortunate to have some amazingly talented friends with Eliot Krimsky ( shines with clarity and daylight, in contrast to Here We Go Magic's hazy aquatic debut. Glass Ghost) on synths, Tyler Wood on piano, Parker Kindred (Antony and the Johnsons, Jeff Buckley) on drums, Michael Bloch (Here We Go Magic) on guitar, and Adam Chilenski on bass.

Echo Lake to release new EP

Echo Lake Premieres "Another Day" Single On Altered Zones
"Another Day" / "Breathe Deep" 7" Out July 18 On No Pain In Pop

London quintet Echo Lake have made quite a name for themselves over the past year. It started when February's debut EP, Young Silence, sold out in less than a week. Then, filmmaker Dan Nixon's accompanying video reached 100k views in just a few days. Echo Lake became a seemingly overnight sensation due to the support of the blogosphere, and the print press caught on quickly and instantly fell in love with the band's ethereal, gorgeous melodies.

Their next offering, "Another Day", is a lot more decisive in comparison to the swooning Cocteau Twins style sounds on their first EP. It projects the supreme confidence of a band who has found their sound while still drawing inspiration from a wide variety of influences. "'Another Day" is as straightforward of a pop song as one could hope for - singer Linda Jarvis' vocals are much higher in the mix than they have been in the past, and the track is driven by a hypnotic guitar lead that would make Stone Roses' guitarist John Squire proud.

Just as "Another Day" proves that Echo Lake can set aside their shoegazing tendencies in search of stronger and more defined melodies,"'Breathe Deep" reminds listeners that the band still know how to execute dreamy pop gems to perfection. Guitarist Thom Hill's dense production and endless overdubs somehow frame Jarvis' spiraling and seductive voice, summoning up hazy memories of Kim Gordon's cooings on 'Shadow of A Doubt', very early Smashing Pumpkins and latterday Beach House.

Ripple Music offers free digital compilation album

After exploding onto the scene June of last year, Ripple Music continues its path as one of the fastest growing Independent Record Labels in America!

Now, as Ripple Music moves into its second year, founders John Rancik and Todd Severin want to celebrate the enthusiasm of their music lovers (known as waveriders) with some Anniversary Specials. As a thank you to their fans and supporters who’ve allowed Ripple to strike out and bring independent music to the world, Ripple is releasing it's first ever free digital compilation album. Free Compilation

Featuring every band that has made the first year of Ripple Music such a success, Ripple's Anniversary album kicks off with Stone Axe, before heading down the Ripple highway of Poobah, JPT, Fen, and more. And as a special bonus, The Anniversary Album features the world's first sneak peeks at two new Ripple releases; Grifter's self-titled debut album, and the eagerly anticipated A Different Game, from underground legends, Scotland's Iron Claw. But the free compilation album may be available for only a limited time, so get over there quickly to get yours!

But wait, there's more. Over at the Ripple Store, everything is still 15% off until July 4th, and every waverider who places an order will get their name placed into a drawing for a very special, last-one-of-its-kind surprise Test Pressing.

It’s all just Ripple’s way of saying thank you for allowing them to keep doing what they love, bringing the best music your way and putting the guts back into rock and roll!

www.ripple-music.com

I See Hawks in LA at the Echo July 10

I See Hawks In L.A. headline the Grand Old Echo
Sunday July 10, 7:30 p.m.
Free!
1822 w. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026

www.iseehawks.com

Electric Daisy coming to a movie theater near you in August

One of the largest and most prestigious electronic music festivals in the world adds a tour stop into more than 520 movie theaters nationwide this August as NCM Fathom and Manifest/Insomniac Productions present ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL EXPERIENCE event from Director Kevin Kerslake. Captured live in concert on July 26 and broadcast in theaters for only one night on Thursday, August 4 at 9:00 p.m. local time, the event will showcase the biggest DJs in the world—performing live in their element—including David Guetta, Deadmaus5, Will.I.Am and Moby as well as many other top stars of electronic music.

Tickets for ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL EXPERIENCE are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom website (theaters and participants are subject to change). The event will be broadcast to select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.

Fans will experience the Electric Daisy Carnival as a cinematic tour de force from the comfort of their local movie theater, as it provides an inside peek into the dazzling world of electronic music culture. Noted Director Kerslake (“The Fallen”, Rise Against, Soundgarden) captured live performances from Kaskade, Swedish House Mafia, Benny Benassi, Steve Aoki, TRVS x A-Trak, Duck Sauce, MSTRKRFT, Afrojack, Major Lazer, a special tribute to DJ AM, and much more. The event will also feature a Wonderland-flavored, red carpet extravaganza complete with carnival sensations, performers and world -class acrobats, filling up the venue with icons and avatars of pop culture. Insomniac Events is the global leader in electronic music culture – a culture that is 27 million plus strong in online followers.

“Attending a festival like Electric Daisy is a vibrant, colorful, visceral experience which translates extremely well to the big screen,” said Director Kevin Kerslake of Manifest. “For the Electric Daisy Carnival Experience event, we tried to make this evening as close to actually attending the festival as possible. It’s always best to see electronic music in a shared environment and we are getting that opportunity on August 4th.”

Select electronic music fans in Los Angeles will also be able to attend the live private event on July 26 that will be captured for the in-theater event, taking place at the illustrious Music Box Theater. This event will feature fist-pumping performances, exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews with artists and producers, and privileged access to the world’s hottest, most cutting-edge fashions. For more information on the L.A. event at the Music Box Theater in Hollywood, please visit www.facebook.com/EDCExperience.

“Electric Daisy Carnival is a phenomenon that is sweeping the world,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom. “Not everyone can get in to the Music Box for this historic night, but through Fathom, fans can enjoy this amazing experience front row center in their local movie theater.”

Jimmy Eat World to perform "Bleed American" Sept. 29 in LA

To commemorate 10 years since the release of their acclaimed record, Jimmy Eat World will perform "Bleed American" in its entirety, Thursday, September 29th at The Wiltern. Pre-sale to begin June 28th at 10 AM with the general public on-sale this Thursday, June 30th at 10 AM. Purchase tickets at LiveNation.com, select Live Nation and Ticketmaster retail outlets and via Charge-By-Phone at (800) 745-3000.

This news comes on the heels of two sold-out shows at London's famed Forum, where the band performed both “Bleed American” and their lauded 1999 album “Clarity,” back-to-back. The band will be in Europe through the middle of July, wrapping up the run with a gig at this year's iTunes Festival, supporting Foo Fighters on Monday, July 11th at London's Roundhouse.

For further information, updates, tickets, etc. go to: http://www.jimmyeatworld.com/ or http://www.jimmyeatworld.com/events/